SNAKES. 71 



of a fallen tree or under a chunk on some dry hillside. 

 In such a place it feeds upon those insects which come 

 readily to hand and, when disturbed, seeks to defend 

 itself only hy exuding a disagreeable odor. 



More common than the above, especially in central 

 Indiana, is Kirtland's snake, Tropidodonium kirtlandi 

 (Kennicott). It also is very prettily marked, being 

 light reddish brown with two rows of large round 



dark spots 011 each side, while beneath 

 Kirtland's it ig a j^g^t sa l mon red, with a row 



of black spots along the margin of the 

 ventral plates. The scales are keeled and in 19 rows. 

 This snake evidently feeds at night, for of 20 or 

 more taken by the writer, all were found coiled up 

 beneath logs or stones, seemingly half asleep, as they 

 were very sluggish in their actions even after their 

 chosen shelter had been rolled from above them. Its 

 only show of self defense is a habit of flattening itself 

 so that it becomes very broad and thin. It then 

 strikes viciously for several times, when, seemingly 

 satisfied with its show of resistance, it -coils itself up 

 and quietly eyes the intruder. Toads, frogs and 

 insects comprise its food, and the young are born 

 alive. 



Grvup VII. The Vipers. 



And now we come to the last, the ugliest and the 

 clumsiest of them all, the " hog-nosed snake" or 

 "spreading viper," Heterodon platyrhinus Latreille. 

 Much has been said of it on the previous pages but it 

 deserves more than a passing mention, as none other 

 of our snakes can hiss more loudly, spread more flatly, 



